United States v. Christensen

17 M.J. 1072
CourtU S Air Force Court of Military Review
DecidedJanuary 26, 1984
DocketACM 24039
StatusPublished

This text of 17 M.J. 1072 (United States v. Christensen) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U S Air Force Court of Military Review primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Christensen, 17 M.J. 1072 (usafctmilrev 1984).

Opinion

DECISION

FORAY, Senior Judge.

On appeal of his general court-martial conviction, the accused claims that the errors committed during and after his trial require that all findings of guilty be set aside and all charges and specifications dismissed. Alternatively he petitions for a new trial based upon newly discovered evidence.

Only two of the assigned errors demand our review and remedy. For reasons which we will later state the Petition for New Trial is denied.

In the Assignment of Errors and Brief submitted by appellate defense counsel on behalf of the accused it is claimed:

THE ACCUSED WAS IMPROPERLY DENIED CREDIT FOR ALL TIME SPENT IN PRETRIAL CONFINEMENT.

And,

THE CONVENING AUTHORITY ERRED BY NOT ORDERING AN ADMINISTRATIVE CREDIT TOWARDS THE APPELLANT’S SENTENCE TO •CONFINEMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MILITARY JUDGE’S RULING.

I

The accused had been ordered into pretrial confinement on 17 December 1982. A hearing was held on 20 December by a neutral and detached magistrate to determine whether continued pretrial confinement was necessary. United States v. Lynch, 13 M.J. 394 (C.M.A.1982). The magistrate determined it was and the accused remained in that status. On 8 January 1983, the accused’s civilian counsel requested the accused be released from the restraint of pretrial confinement. A hearing thereon was held that same day before the base commander and his staff judge advocate. This hearing also resulted in the continuation of the accused in pretrial confinement. A similar and likewise unsuccessful attempt to effect the accused’s release was again made on 20 January.

At trial, the accused’s counsel advanced reasons why the pretrial confinement of the accused was illegal and moved for appropriate relief in the form of a “credit” for the time served. The military judge agreed, in part, to the defense contention and ruled that the period of pretrial confinement beginning 8 January to the date of trial, 23 March 1983, was illegal. Accordingly, he directed that the accused be credited with one and one-half days of confinement for each day of illegal pretrial confinement.

[1074]*1074In his review of the case, the staff judge advocate advised the convening authority that he was bound by the military judge’s ruling regarding the credit to be given because of the pretrial confinement being found illegal. United States v. Suzuki, 14 M.J. 491 (C.M.A.1983). He further advised the convening authority that the total number of pretrial confinement days found illegal was 74 and, thus, the accused was entitled to a credit of 111 days. The review contained the recommendation that the convening authority afford that credit by approving only so much of the adjudged sentence to confinement at hard labor as would provide for a term of two years and eight months. The court-martial had sentenced the accused to a term of confinement for three years. The convening authority agreed and his action in the case reflected the recommended reduction in the period of confinement adjudged.

It is now clear that every day of pretrial confinement, regardless of legality, will be credited against an accused’s sentence to confinement. United States v. Allen, 17 M.J. 126 (C.M.A.1984).

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Related

United States v. Larner
1 M.J. 371 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1976)
United States v. Bacon
12 M.J. 489 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1982)
United States v. Lynch
13 M.J. 394 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1982)
United States v. Suzuki
14 M.J. 491 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1983)
United States v. Allen
17 M.J. 126 (United States Court of Military Appeals, 1984)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
17 M.J. 1072, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-christensen-usafctmilrev-1984.